In the fascinating world of cargo vehicle design, this charmingly weird truck concept is a must-see.
Truck manufacturers face a lot of challenges when developing new vehicles, from meeting stringent emission requirements, to fuel economy mandatory minimums, and towing/cargo capacity standards.
A German company called Steinwinter attempted a novel take on these issues with the Supercargo 2040 concept truck during the 1983 Frankfurt Motor Show.
Built on a Mercedes chassis, this weird truck was equipped with a 400 horsepower Daimler-Benz engine, independent air suspension, a limited slip differential, anti-lock brakes, and climate control.
Resembling a wedge shaped box, it towed the semi-trailer by being placed underneath, the reasoning behind this ludicrous placement was that it would reduce frontal and cross-sectional area compared to a regular Semi-truck; it also avoided the formation of airflow currents underneath the semi-trailer.
The shape is quintessentially boxy.
The interior has been described as “similar to a sports car” with similar seat placement, ride height and cluster of gauges.
The interior cockpit is nothing like a regular truck.
Below you can see a short video slideshow about this weird truck.